Is there anyway, or any company, I could order a custom guage face from? What I want to do is have a black background, and have the numbers lit up red (like a vw passat) and have a blue lit needle, is there anyway to do this? Sorry for dumb questions, this is my first time doing a custom guage, normally im against it, but i hate the white face

 

hmm.. chadfo would be the man to talk to about custom gaugefaces...

however... lighting.... would be my specialty.

only issue is.... getting a replacement needle...?

 

Try this site for a needle. The pics look awesome, but I have not bought anything from them.....yet.

http://www.importintelligence.com/FM...stnew.htm&-new

 

^^ they DON'T make needles....

those "needle kits"?? are just a nicely overpriced led ring setup that you place behind your stock needle.

 

Oooopppps. The needles look sweet, but I finally took the time to read the stupid site, and you are absolutely correct. I thought the needles wre replaced during the switch. But they stil look nice. Have you seen any needles that glow?

 

uhm.. xB needles? no.. i haven't seen..
hmm... would probably have to DIY and cut your own...

thought about that before.. but yea... that'll be a PITA....

or try stealing another car's needles... but i dunno.

 

One would think that something from another model / make would fit. Maybe a trip to the salvage yard when the weather warms up again here in Michigan.

 

Well I suppose I don't HAVE to replace the needle. But it might be hard to see my MPH at night with a black face/black needle, but maybe not with red numbers? Anyone know?

 

All black would be impossible to see day or night. On the darker plates I make I put a band of a lighter color so the needle can be seen.

One option I've thought of before is to paint the needle and illuminate the plate from the front just enough to make the needle visible. ...possibly UV LEDs.
SquallLHeart, can you come up with something like that?

 

what.... sticking UV leds in front shining on a UV sensitive needle? why not?

only problem... UV light WILL get annoying...

hmm.. other leds for a front lit gauge? ehh.. why not.. just wire some stuff in there..

 

I wonder where the LEDs would go without being seen. I just went out and looked at my car and it doesn't look like it will be easy. Any ideas?

 

hmm... i dunno.... try to hide them in the plastic gauge bezel thingy? but that'll shine like hmm...

dunno...

 

I doin't know if you guys were aware or not, but Visteon already did something similar to what you are talking about. They had a Ultra-Violet LED Instrument Cluster in the xB they displayed at SEMA. Unfortunately I didn't get any interior pix.

 

hmm.. well.. UV is nice for show....
but driving? yea.. it'll get annoying.

 

UV light is VERY annoying... I have some UV LEDs and where as purple is cool, the UV
light is extremely irritating.

What about an ice blue LED for the needle?

 

I think any color LED will look good as long as it compliments the faceplate.

The things I think would be the most difficult to handle wouuld be a. where to put the LEDs so they don't show in the view of the face and b. how to keep them from casting unwanted glare and/or shadows on a plate. The only thing I can think of to solve issue a. is to cut holes in the edge of the housing and mount them from behind. That same method of mounting may also solve issue b. if they are mounted out far enough that the hole would serve to block all light other than the path directly to the needle.

 

heh seems like it'd be pretty darn complicated

I hatttttte the white face though!!!

 

well that can be changed easily... just that lit up needle is where there's some issues.

 

Ya. Well I know any other color but black wouldnt be hard. But I really want a black face, and with the black needle, I cant assume that would work well?

What about the lit up numbers though?

 

Like this, I want the speedo to be like the tach/gas is.